God help us...!

It's not UK though, I think we got rid our our laws relating to blasphemy five or ten years ago, and Ireland is still a lot more religious than the UK.

Of course, this action is completely stupid and irrational, but then again, that's religion summed up too.

We love Stephen Fry in our house. I think, when asked what he'd say to god if he met him he responded (I hope I'm accurate): "Bone cancer in children - what's that all about?"
In fact, Stephen Fry was the first person my 13-year-old son told he had bone cancer, when he met him after Fry had invited him to see QI being filmed 4 or 5 years ago. Crazy that a modern EU country can still have such a law.

I watched Calvary last night on iPlayer - fabulous film that examines the role of the Catholic Church in Ireland.

What's odd is that the person who reported this did so in 2015. In his police statement he specified that he wasn't personally offended but thought that the comments constituted blasphemy under Irish law. The police appear to have put it at the bottom of the pile until the same person followed up his report.

meanredspider wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

My mate lost his daughter, 11 years old, to cancer in January. My God daughter.

Really sorry to hear that, BTR. That's incredibly tough.

Thanks MRS. The great dichotomy here was that we filled a Cathedral with mourners and I had Fry's words in my head. Because, well, we don't really know another way of doing this. Railing against a supreme being and using his house.

As a Christian, I would say Mr Fry's statement is a valid one which is shared by many. If there is a God, why is there so much suffering in the world. And how can he allow terrible things to happen to good people or innocent children.

I would not wish to patronise with glib and superficial arguments. Anyone genuinely searching for meaning will find it. The story is 'fake news' in any case. There is no prospect that Stephen Fry or anyone else would be prosecuted for blasphemy in these circumstances. We should perhaps be thankful that we have freedom of expression. Not available in many parts of the world...

(Climbs down off soapbox and takes afternoon meds)

Thanks Mike, that's a very good way of putting it.

And then he isn't...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39857543

rjsterry wrote:

I wonder whether the original complainant is trying to show up the legislation by trying to force the police into using it in a hopeless case.

That would make sense because I believe the original complainant stated that he wasn't offended but believed that what was said contravened that law.

City Boy wrote:

Freedom of speech and freedom of thought should be sacrosanct in the modern democratic world and its stuff like this that makes me think the sooner we, as a species, grow out of religious fairy tales the better.

Do you agree with incitement to religious/racial hatred laws?

If it makes any difference, it's being treated with the same level of incredulity over here in Ireland, however it also came into the news the same week that :

a) the government passed a bill that all the TD's (MP's to you) must stand for the morning prayer, which is also to be followed by 30 seconds of silent reflection.

b) the new National Maternity Hospital is to be built on land owned by, and the ownership given to, the Sisters of Charity, which is one of the religious orders found guilty of gross systemic institutional abuse in the past and which has never paid the agreed redress

http://www.thejournal.ie/sisters-of-cha ... 5-Apr2017/

So an element of distraction in the media going on then?

I've less problem with the TD prayer element since they don't have to pray to the same God or any God. They can refrain or mumble or say their own words I guess. Plus the reflection afterwards could be for their own meditation not for a religion.

The maternity hospital bit is bad. First compulsory purchase of the land so you're not beholden to an organisation that has been so evil. Second give any role involving mothers or their children/babies is kind of exonerating them. It's wrong! I thought the republic was over the worst of religious involvement in statex

City Boy wrote:

Milton50 wrote:

City Boy wrote:

Freedom of speech and freedom of thought should be sacrosanct in the modern democratic world and its stuff like this that makes me think the sooner we, as a species, grow out of religious fairy tales the better.

Do you agree with incitement to religious/racial hatred laws?

I would certainly agree that laws (or suitable measures) should be in place to prevent and protect against incitement to violence or discrimination against anyone based on their race, creed, religion, sexuality etc. etc.

I don't, however, think there should be legal restrictions on anyone expressing their personal views because it might include criticism of, or a challenge to a particular lifestyle, religion or ideology etc. or because someone might take offence at what is said.

That's a fair enough position.

I only asked because when a lot of people say "I believe in free speech", what they actually mean is "I believe in free speech if it doesn't offend me"

mfin wrote:

Redjeep! wrote:

a) the government passed a bill that all the TD's (MP's to you) must stand for the morning prayer, which is also to be followed by 30 seconds of silent reflection.

That is f*****g ridiculous.

All summed up rather excellently by Fintan O'Toole in the Irish Times.

http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fintan-o-toole-state-has-taken-a-bizarre-trip-back-to-the-1950s-1.3075664

City Boy wrote:

Wise words...

"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State."

Thomas Jefferson, 1802

Indeed. The country was founded by people who to a large extent were looking for freedom for their religious beliefs and yet is now stuffed with evangelical Christians who almost by definition want to tell everyone else which particular version of God to worship and in what way.